Features
-
ABC Tricar: the Mini that lost a wheel and became a teenage dream
Posted
by
John Milton takes a look at the ABC Tricar. The ABC Tricar, in short a three-wheeled BMC Mini, was originally created by Ken Heather and Bill Power for Ken’s son, Trevor. Trevor had really wanted a Morgan three-wheeler, but one suspects that, even in the mid-1960s, Morgans were an expensive choice for a teenager. So…
-
Len Vale-Onslow: the maverick who gave motorcycles the welded frame
Posted
by
From childhood crashes to the first welded production motorcycle frame, Len Vale-Onslow’s story is one of invention, risk-taking and what might have been. The name of Len Vale-Onslow needs little introduction. Born Leslie Vale-Onslow in 1900, he was introduced to motorcycles in 1908 when he rode a machine built by his brothers. A police constable…
-
How Saracen rose and fell in Britain’s mini trials motorcycle boom
Posted
by
Along with friend and scrambler Frank Underwood, trials enthusiast and school teacher Ron Goodfellow designed, built, rode and sold the Saracen mini trials motorcycles in kit form, inspired by a desire to create an affordable alternative to the then-expensive Bultaco models. Working in a small Cirencester workshop, Mr Goodfellow brazed up a chassis using preformed…
-
Yamaha YR2C: when Yamaha joined the street scrambler trend
Posted
by
Steve Cooper looks at how Yamaha took its all-new YR1 and jumped aboard the 1960s street scrambler trend. In 1967, Yamaha’s Iwata factory rolled out its most significant machine since the 250cc two-stroke YDS1 of 1959. The all-new Yamaha YR1 350 two-stroke twin was a ground-up design featuring a vertically split crankcase and a clutch…
-
Suzuki’s TC200 came here by accident…
Posted
by
Steve Cooper looks at the street scrambler that came to these shores by accident… So, as we all know, street scramblers were never sold in the UK, right? Well, why would a company do that when we Brits have always had a reputation for being a conservative bunch when it comes to buying motorcycles? Very…
-
Rebuilt 1973 Triumph Trident T150V
Posted
by
This late T150V Trident, fully and expertly rebuilt by keeper Peter Hall, finally sells your tester on three-cylinder power.
-
Dunlop Debut!
Posted
by
Fifty years ago… the summer of ’76 — the heatwave, petrol at 76 a gallon, Barry Sheene and James Hunt winning world championships on two and four wheels. Punk rock was on its way to shake up the establishment and one J. Dunlop was about to make his debut at the Isle of Man TT…
-
R A Jones Classic Motorcycles: a family passion for proper classic bikes
Posted
by
For anyone with a love of British classics, restoration projects and interesting old motorcycles, R A Jones Classic Motorcycles is well worth knowing about. Based in Manchester, close to the Trafford Centre and M60, the business is run by Robert Jones and specialises in classic motorcycles, with a particular passion for British machinery. Whether it…
-
The cult of LC!
Posted
by
From the era that style forgot came a machine like no other: Yamaha’s RD350LC. What made this bike (and little brother and subsequent models) so well-loved? Bertie Simmonds explains… At the start of the 1980s, we were under the shadow of The Cold War, Thatcherism had been unleashed upon us, and unemployment was hitting two…
-
When HRC unleashed the RVF750 at the 1991 Isle of Man TT
Posted
by
Back in 1991 the most exotic prototype four-stroke racing motorcycles took part in the punishing Isle of Man TT races. Bertie Simmonds reports… Two very special RVF750s were given to then TT legends Steve Hislop and Carl Fogarty to race around the punishing 37.73 mile Mountain course. In some respects, the bikes were the four-stroke…
Enjoy more classic motorcycle reading, Click here to subscribe to one of our leading magazines.
